The invention relates to improvements in apparatus for transmission of torque in general, and more particularly to improvements in apparatus for transmitting torque in the power trains of motor vehicles. Still more particularly, the invention relates to combined torque transmitting and torsional vibrations damping apparatus which can be put to use between the output component of an internal combustion engine and the input component of a variable-speed transmission in a motor vehicle.
It is already known to transmit torque from the crankshaft of an engine to the input shaft of a variable-speed transmission by resorting to an apparatus which comprises a split or composite flywheel, namely a flywheel having a first flywheel connectable with the crankshaft and a second flywheel which is rotatable relative to and is coaxial with the first flywheel and can be connected with the input shaft of the transmission in response to engagement of a friction clutch. Reference may be had, for example, to commonly owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,611,701 (Friedmann), 4,723,463 (Reik et al.) and 4,732,250 (Maucher et al.) and to published German patent application Ser. No. P 37 21 705. One or more dampers are provided to transmit torque between the first and second flywheels as well as to damp vibrations of one of the flywheels relative to the other flywheel. As a rule, or at least in many instances, the apparatus will employ at least two dampers which are normally connected in series and comprise energy storing elements (e.g., coil springs) acting in the circumferential direction of the flywheels. It is further known to provide one of the flywheels with a chamber which receives at least one of the plural dampers.